The present invention relates to a workpiece clamping fixture.
Generic clamping fixtures serve particularly to clamp in place workpieces precisely positioned for machining, the clamping fixture usually featuring a workpiece pallet to mount or clamp each workpiece.
The workpiece pallet can either be directly secured to the work table of the machine tool or by means of a chuck, the workpiece pallet in the latter case featuring means for locking in place to the chuck and means for defining the position precisely located at the chuck. Especially the latter means needs to ensure exact positioning in both the X and Y as well as the Z direction.
In series production the workpieces—blanks—to be machined are usually inserted directly into the machine tool, for example by a 6-axes robotic attachment. In small series production the workpieces to be machined are clamped on pallets manually or automatically changed in the machine tool, whereas in medium series production clamping the workpieces in place is either complicated or the clamping fixture or pallet is relatively expensive.